Improved traction-engine



6. N.AT|BBL`Es.

Traction Engine. I

Pa-tented Nov. 9, 1869.

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Witnesses: y W fera N. PETERS. PMOTOMTMOGRAPHER, WAsNxNGToN, Dv C.

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GEORGE N.- TIBBLES, 0E HUDSON CITY, NEW JERSEY.

Lette/rs Patent No. 96,636, dated November 9, 1869.

Y f IMPRovED TRACTIoN-ENGINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Pa/tent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE N. THsBLns, ofthe city of Hudson, in thecounty of Hudson, and State of 'New Jersey, have invented a new andimproved Traction-Engine;4 and I dg herebydeclare that the following isafull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskilled in theart to make and use. the same, reference'beng had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to cert-ain new -and useful improvementsin the construction of a tractionengiue, which is intended to take theplace of the ordinary dummy-engines now in use; the object of which isto avoid the necessity of putting on an extra pressure of steai'n,tociascend a steep incline, by the use of a movable fnlcrum in' aslotted lever, connected with the cross-head, hereinafter more fullydescribed, the constructionand operation ofwhich will be fullyunderstood from the following description, in which-- Figure l reprentsa plan. v

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the line Figure 3 is adet-ached side view of one of the drivewheels. Figure 4 is across-section through the line y y.

Similar' letters'of reference indicate corresponding parts. t

In this case, the letters A A' represent two small steam-cylinders, setona suitable fram-e, B. Y

The. piston-rods of the,` said cylinders are attached to theirrespective cross-heads, O and C.

D and D' are slotted levers, which connect -the aforesaid cross-headswith the connecting-rods E Ev These levers, D and D', are adjustable, sothat the. length of stroke may be regulated to suit the requirem'ents,either of speed or in order to use additional power in ascending austeep incline.

The said levers are adjusted by means of raising or lowering the slidingracks F F', which are operated upon simultaneously, by turning thehand-wheel G.

The' pin or set-screw H, which runs through the slot in the aforesaidlevers, is fixed in the slide l", thus forming a movable fulcrum for thesaid lever.

I is a pawl, which locks the pinion J, and-thus serves to hold thefulcrum fixed in any desired position.

l l are connecting-rods which connect the crossheads of' ctwh engine totheir respective cranks, L L', which are intended to stand at rightangles to each other, so as to overcome the dead-centre.

These cranks have one shaft, common to b oth, ou which there aretwoecceutrics, M M, which Work the steam-valves.

N isa fly-wheel, on the said shaft, by which to vstart the engine.

Thedrive-wheels 0 O' are constructed with a groove or channel, P, whichis turned perfectlytrue.

In this groove ory channel tljee is a traveller, Q, pivoted to the loosearm It onthe axle, and kept in position by the spring S.

The letter T represents a cross-piece on top of the pivot of thetraveller', on each end ot' which Athere is a pin, over one of which theconnecting-rod will hook, so as to cause the said traveller to bite orgrip the drive-wheel.

For example, when litis desired to go forward, the connecting-rod willllook on the lower pin, and when it is desired to'reverse or run back,the connectingrod must be raised'soasto engage itself in the'upper lll.

It will be noticed that the said connecting-rod is bent or cnt away atthe point marked U, so as to allow the throw ofthe rod to have a fullsweep. These rods E E are set at right angles to. each other.

This traction-engine is steered v by a wheel, V, in front, which isoperated by'I the hand-wheel W, on whose stemtherel are teeth, whichmesh inthe wheel X on the pivot which supports the said wheel V'.

The connecting-,rods E E and E' E are shifted from a forward to abackward motion,0r may be disconnected altogether, by means of .pushingthe levers Y from one side to the other, which will cause the shafton-which the pulleys Z are set, to turn, and thus draw on the band o rcord, as shown in red.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-l l. Thecombination of drive-wheel O and traveller Q, with connecting-rods E E,operating as described', to give motion in either direction.

2. -'lhe combination of the lever Y, pulley Z and shaft which rotatesit, with band X, all arran 'ed as described, to shift the rods E E tOa-fbrward Or backward motiou,.or to disconnect them altogether. j

, 3. A traction-engine, constructed, arrauged,fand Operating in themanner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.

4. In combination with slotted lever, the rack, pinion, detent,andhand-lever G, to change the fulcrum H, in the ,manner specified.

5. The combination, with the piston of a steamcylinder, of lanactuating-lever, D, vmoving upon a fulcrum readily adjustable by thedriver, in the manner speciiie-d, whereby the power may be easilyincreased or diminished, without changiu g the pressure ofsteaxn.

The above specification of my invention signed by v'me, this 4th day ofJ une, 1869.

GEORGE N. TIBBLES.

Witnesses FRANK BLOOKLEY, ALEX. F. ROBERTS.

